Sweden Detains Sanctioned Oil Tanker Believed to be Linked to Russia’s Shadow Fleet
Sweden is investigating a sanctioned tanker suspected of being part of the Russian “shadow fleet,” according to the Scandinavian country’s civil defense minister. The Swedish Coast Guard boarded and detained the Jin Hui on Sunday, suspecting it was flying a false flag while transiting Swedish waters.
The vessel was sailing through the Baltic Sea under a Syrian flag, the coast guard said in a statement. There are also concerns about the vessel’s seaworthiness. The Jin Hui, which remained anchored off Trelleborg on Monday, is currently on European Union, U.K., and Ukraine sanctions lists, Sweden‘s Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin wrote on X.
The ship’s captain, a Chinese citizen, was arrested on suspicion of using a false document and other offenses, Swedish prosecutors said Monday. It is the fifth vessel seizure by Sweden‘s coast guard in recent weeks. “Ships with suspected deficiencies in their seaworthiness continue to sail in Swedish waters,” said Daniel Stenling, the coast guard’s deputy chief of operations. “This is not acceptable. We have intervened before, now we are intervening again.”
Russia Denies Involvement
Russia‘s ambassador to Sweden, Sergey Belyaev, issued a statement Wednesday denying any involvement with the Jin Hui. He stated that the vessel is not operating under the Russian flag and that Swedish authorities told the embassy there were no Russians on board. The statement did not directly address the allegation regarding the shadow fleet.
Increased Scrutiny
Sweden last year announced plans to step up insurance checks on foreign ships, aimed at tightening controls on Russian vessels suspected of transporting oil and gas or carrying stolen Ukrainian grain. This move is part of a broader effort by Sweden to strengthen its maritime security and prevent unauthorized vessels from operating in its waters.
The Jin Hui’s detention highlights the ongoing challenge faced by Swedish authorities in monitoring and regulating foreign ships that may be linked to Russia‘s shadow fleet. As tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate, it remains to be seen whether this incident will lead to further measures being taken to curb the activities of sanctioned vessels.
Original Article: Sweden detains sanctioned oil tanker believed to be linked to Russia’s shadow fleet — Yahoo